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Thank you to our pastor, Fr. Luis, for gathering us together for this traditional Christmas dinner. Thank you to all who participated. What a joyful event this is – thank you especially to those who donated extra funds to cover the costs of dinner for people who would otherwise be unable to attend! We provided 11 complimentary meals due to your generosity.

This beautiful old inn on the Russian River provides an ideal ambiance for a Christmas dinner and the food was delicious. Thank you to our Choir for leading us in carols, and to Sharilyn Parmeter who produced the beautiful book of carols.

Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone commissioned this mass for the occasion of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the Saturday before December 12th, which happened to be Dec. 8!

EWTN provided live broadcast of the mass which is preserved on the link above. On that same page, please enjoy the interview of the archbishop with Fr. Mitch Pacwa, in which Archbishop Cordileone explains the Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Divine Liturgy whose two pronged effort serves teaching chant and sacred music to schools and providing parishes with resources to improve their liturgy and music.

The composer is Frank La Rocca and you can find his beautiful sacred works on YouTube.

We hope to see you at the Christmas Dinner. Friday, Dec. 14th is the last day to order tickets as we must give the hotel a final count. Call the office by end of day Friday at (707) 869-2107 if you need to order!

Third Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 9

Gaudete Sunday is a joyous celebration of the coming of Christ, marked by lighting the rose colored candle and wearing of rose colored vestments.

Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you
he has turned away your enemies;
the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
he will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.

R. (6) Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

Brothers and sisters:
Rejoice in the Lord always.
I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

The crowds asked John the Baptist,
“What should we do?”
He said to them in reply,
“Whoever has two cloaks
should share with the person who has none.
And whoever has food should do likewise.”
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him,
“Teacher, what should we do?”
He answered them,
“Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”
Soldiers also asked him,
“And what is it that we should do?”
He told them,
“Do not practice extortion,
do not falsely accuse anyone,
and be satisfied with your wages.”Now the people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Exhorting them in many other ways,
he preached good news to the people.We hope this Commentary on the Proper Prayers for Advent from the Roman Missal, taken from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops website, will assist you in your Advent journey of faith. http://usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/advent/commentary-on-advent-proper-prayers.cfm#2nd

Let the King of Glory Come

Third Sunday of Advent

Collect

O God, who see how your peoplefaithfully await the feast of the Lord’s Nativity,enable us, we pray,to attain the joys of so great a salvation,and to celebrate them alwayswith solemn worship and glad rejoicing.Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.

COMMENTARY

In this prayer our attention shifts toward the coming feast of the Lord’s Birth or Nativity.

The prayer is drawn from a fifth- to sixth-century scroll, originally from Ravenna, that contains forty prayers. Over a dozen of its prayers were included in the Advent Christmas cycle of the 1970 Latin edition of the Roman Missal and thereafter.

In this prayer we are aware that God is looking at us, as we look forward to the approaching feast of the Lords Nativity. So this prayer gives us the opportunity to consider how the members of the Sunday assembly look forward to Christmas.

This prayer is offered by the whole Church, which includes children, adolescents, adults and seniors. Yet, both the prayer and the feast of the Lord’s Nativity have different meaning for a person over the course of ones lifetime.

Children may be introduced to this mystery by celebrating the birthday of Jesus. This prayer does not focus on the historical birth of Christ, but on its meaning for us today, much as a child’s birthday celebrates the life of the child with us.

As we mature in life we may begin to discover new subtleties in this prayer. As adolescents begin to appreciate the ways in which we are saved, they come to name and to celebrate the joys of our salvation in Christ.

Adults, through their commitments to others and professional contribution to society may come to share in many ways in the generativity of this feast and may learn from the humility of the Savior.

Seniors may reflect upon the many Christmas feasts they have celebrated to realize that they have indeed attained the joys of their salvation. They may become aware that all is gift and as of yet incomplete.

Prayer over the Offerings

May the sacrifice of our worship, Lord, we pray,be offered to you unceasingly,to complete what was begun in sacred mysteryand powerfully accomplish for us your saving work.Through Christ our Lord.

COMMENTARY

Our sacrifice of worship brings to completion the divine plan of salvation in Christ and accomplishes God’s saving work in us.

Originally assigned to a Mass for the September fast in a sixth-century Roman collection of Mass booklets, by the seventh century it was transferred to the Advent season for use in the Roman parish tradition.

The phrase sacrifice of our worship evokes the evening offering of incense and prayer recorded in Psalm 141:2: Let my prayer be incense before you; my uplifted hands an evening sacrifice (New American Bible). Using incense during the preparation of the gifts reinforces this image of offering a sacrifice of praise.

The phrase also evokes a familiar line from Eucharistic Prayer III, which is drawn from the word of the Lord recorded in the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi 1:11: “For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, my name is great among the nations; And everywhere they bring sacrifice to my name, and a pure offering” (New American Bible).

The letter to the Hebrews, 13:15, mentions the sacrifice of praise: “Through him (then) let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.” This prayer does just that when it gives the divine name, Lord.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church also describes the Eucharist as a “‘sacrifice of praise’, spiritual sacrifice, pure and holy sacrifice” (n.1330).

When we offer a sacrifice of worship the Lord works in us and accomplishes in us our salvation thereby completing in us the sacred mystery. We offer our sacrifice of worship unceasingly, that is, during the liturgy and in daily life.

Prayer after Communion

We implore your mercy, Lord,that this divine sustenance may cleanse us of our faultsand prepare us for the coming feasts.Through Christ our Lord.

COMMENTARY

This prayer suggests how the whole liturgy helps us to prepare to celebrate the coming feasts.

In seventh-century Roman parish practice, this prayer, which then included a reference to fasting, was assigned to Tuesday of the second week of Lent, but the Roman papal practice of the same time assigned this prayer, without the reference to fasting, to its current place on the third Sunday of Advent.

The divine sustenance refers most immediately to the Communion we share in the body and blood of Christ. We share one loaf and one cup and are made into one Body in Christ. This sustenance, then, is also our communion with one another in the Church.

The Prayer After Communion, however, not only concludes the Communion rite, but it also concludes the whole liturgy. In this light, the divine sustenance also refers to the Word of God proclaimed in the scriptures and followed by personal reflection in silence and a common reflection in the homily. The Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword and accomplishes its task. We prepare for the coming feasts by gathering as the Body of Christ, by reflecting on the word of God proclaimed in the liturgy, and especially by the Communion we share.

This divine sustenance the body and blood of Christ, our communion as Church, reflecting on the word of God proclaimed these all cleanse us of our faults. We prepare for the coming feasts by being cleansed of our faults and by making amends for our faults. Many parishes provide the opportunity for the Sacrament of Penance in preparation for Christmas.

The Roman Church has been singing the “O” Antiphons since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer from December 17-23. They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative “Come!” embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah.

Taken from USCCB website http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/prayers/the-o-antiphons-of-advent.cfm

Annunciation from the Book of Hours of Jean of France Duc de Berry (Metropolitan Museum)

Excerpted from The Sunday Visitor article by D.D. Emmons https://www.osv.com/Article/TabId/493/ArtMID/13569/ArticleID/10308/What-Are-the-O-Antiphons.aspx

The “Chief Hours”

Besides Sunday worship, Christians have long prayed at set times every day. In the tradition of the Jewish synagogue, the apostles and first Christians praised God at least three times daily. To the extent they could avoid the Roman persecutions, they would pray together. Prior to the Second Vatican Council, such daily prayers were called the Divine Office, but following the council these prayer periods became known as the Liturgy of the Hours. The council’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sancrosanctum Concilium) encourages the laity to “recite the divine office [Liturgy of the Hours], either with the priests, or among themselves, or even individually” (No. 100). The “chief hours” of the day, according to this same council document are morning prayer (lauds) and evening prayer (vespers) (see No. 89).

While the laity are encouraged to participate either individually or collectively, congregating to pray the hours together is today mostly found, and obligatory, in religious communities. The content of these prayer times include hymns, canticles, antiphons, psalms and Scripture readings. At evening prayer, the Canticle of Mary, the Magnificat (see Luke 1:46-55), is recited. Before and after the canticle, a short verse, a solemn antiphon, is read from Scripture or a psalm. This antiphon varies each day and ties the canticle to the season of the year, a feast and to a particular reading. In “The Liturgical Year, Advent” (Newman Press, Westminster Md., 1951, p. 509), Dom Prosper Gueranger writes, “These antiphons are sung at the Magnificat to show us that the Savior whom we expect is come to us by Mary.”

O Antiphons of Advent

The O Antiphons are recited prior to the Magnificat during evening prayer (vespers) from Dec. 17 through Dec. 23. Each antiphon is addressed to God using a noble title for the Messiah, each antiphon petitions Him to come save His people, and each is tied to Mary because she is the vessel through which the Savior will be born.

Dec. 17: “O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care. Come and show your people the way to salvation.”

Dec. 18: “O sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.”

Dec. 19: “O Flower of Jesse’s stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.”

Dec. 20: “O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel controlling at your will the gate of heaven: come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.”

Dec. 21: “O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.”

Dec. 22: “O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man, come, and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.”

Dec. 23: “O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.”

— From “Christian Prayer: The Liturgy of the Hours,” Catholic Book Publishing Co., 1976

The Special Antiphons

Beginning Dec. 17 of each Advent season, and for the next seven days, a special antiphon known as an O Antiphon is read before the Magnificat during evening prayer. Sometimes called the Greater Antiphons, or the O’s of Advent (because they begin with that exclamation), the O Antiphons differ from the daily antiphons because they herald the coming birth of Christ. Originally written in Latin around the seventh or eighth centuries, these special antiphons are verses extracted from the Old Testament prophets — namely, Isaiah — and express the longing for the coming of the Christ. In fact, the word “come” is used in every O Antiphon.

Each of the seven antiphons begins by addressing Jesus using an Old Testament title for the Messiah. These seven names or titles, all from the Book of Isaiah, are:

Dec. 17, O’ Sapientia (meaning O Wisdom), from Isaiah 11:2-3.

Dec. 18, O’ Adonai (O Lord or Ruler), 11:4-5 and 33:22.

Dec. 19, O’ Radix (O Root of Jesse), 11:1.

Dec. 20, O’ Clavis (O Key of David), 22:22.

Dec. 21, O’ Oriens (O Radiant Dawn), 9:1.

Dec. 22, O’ Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), 2:4.

Dec. 23, O’ Emmanuel (O God with Us), 7:14.

It is widely pointed out that if you take the first letter of each Latin name and reverse the order — that is, begin with E from Emmanuel, then Rex Gentium and so on you will spell the word EROCRAS, which in Latin means “I shall come tomorrow.”

Many families add the Greater Antiphons to their prayers during Advent. These beautiful antiphons are like a drum roll growing to a crescendo as the seven days bring us closer to the Christmas miracle of God made flesh, born as a babe and, with few exceptions, mostly unnoticed by mankind. Each of the seven Greater Antiphons are also sung or recited as the Alleluia verse (or antiphon) before the Gospel at daily Mass Dec. 17-23.

Sometime before the 12th century, the exact date and author being unknown, selected verses from the seven antiphons were compiled into the hymn we today call “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” During the Middle Ages this hymn was an important teaching and worship aid to a society that was largely illiterate and had few Bibles. In the 19th century, the Latin version of the hymn was translated into English by an Anglican priest named John Neale. He called his original translation “Draw Neigh, Draw Neigh, Emmanuel,” but in 1854 he renamed the song, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” which, given its history, is believed to be among the oldest of all the Christmas hymns. TCA

Second Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 6

Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery;
put on the splendor of glory from God forever:
wrapped in the cloak of justice from God,
bear on your head the mitre
that displays the glory of the eternal name.
For God will show all the earth your splendor:
you will be named by God forever
the peace of justice, the glory of God’s worship.Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights;
look to the east and see your children
gathered from the east and the west
at the word of the Holy One,
rejoicing that they are remembered by God.
Led away on foot by their enemies they left you:
but God will bring them back to you
borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones.
For God has commanded
that every lofty mountain be made low,
and that the age-old depths and gorges
be filled to level ground,
that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.
The forests and every fragrant kind of tree
have overshadowed Israel at God’s command;
for God is leading Israel in joy
by the light of his glory,
with his mercy and justice for company..

R. (3) The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those who sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Brothers and sisters:
I pray always with joy in my every prayer for all of you,
because of your partnership for the gospel
from the first day until now.
I am confident of this,
that the one who began a good work in you
will continue to complete it
until the day of Christ Jesus.
God is my witness,
how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer:
that your love may increase ever more and more
in knowledge and every kind of perception,
to discern what is of value,
so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness
that comes through Jesus Christ
for the glory and praise of God.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,
and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,
and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region
of Ituraea and Trachonitis,
and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,
the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.
John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Second Sunday of Advent

Collect

Almighty and merciful God,may no earthly undertaking hinder thosewho set out in haste to meet your Son,but may our learning of heavenly wisdomgain us admittance to his company.Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.

COMMENTARY

In the Gospel this Sunday John the Baptist tells us to prepare the way of the Lord. He is talking not about the babe in the manger but about the adult Christ soon to begin his public ministry. This prayer presents our response to Christs call to join his company.

The prayer first appears in the seventh-century Roman parish tradition and in seven subsequent manuscripts before it is lost to the liturgical tradition, until reclaimed for the 1970 Latin edition of the Roman Missal.

As we gather together to meet Christ in the assembly, in the word, in the ministers and in the Eucharist our efforts simply to arrive at church with the proper disposition provide the context for this prayer about hastening to meet Christ. We gather from every walk of life and these earthly undertakings are not cast in a negative light except in their ability to hinder us for our single-minded pursuit of Christ and his company.

We learn heavenly wisdom in the liturgy of the word when we hear the voice of Christ, the Wisdom of God. This heavenly wisdom, in turn, helps us to conduct our earthly undertakings in a way that does not hinder our single-minded pursuit of Christ and his company.

We gain admittance to Christs company when we are baptized as Christians, and time and time again when we join with the baptized in the liturgical celebration where we form the body of Christ, the Church in action. We gain admittance to his company when we share in communion. We gain admittance to Christs company when we welcome him who comes to us in our neighbor in their need, which is the only criterion given in the Gospel for the final judgment and admittance to the company of saints.

Prayer over the Offerings

Be pleased, O Lord, with our humble prayers and offerings,and since we have no merits to plead our cause,come, we pray, to our rescuewith the protection of your mercy.Through Christ our Lord.

COMMENTARY

The technical language used in this prayer suggests that we stand before the magistrate in need of someone to plead our cause. The merits of our case alone are inadequate to our situation.

The prayer appears in both the Roman Papal and parish traditions of the seventh century, but only the parish version has the words of your mercy, which have been preserved in the current prayer.

While we offer prayers and offerings however inadequate and ask that the Lord be pleased with these. Our prayers and offerings, however, cannot be used to manipulate God into acting on our behalf, nor are they intended to do so.

Rather, we stand defenseless and plead that the Lord come to rescue us not out of obligation but because of the abundance of divine mercy. While other prayers over the gifts indicate an ongoing and reciprocal exchange of gifts between God and humanity, this prayer emphasizes the utter gratuity of the divine gift.

This prayer is offered right before the Eucharistic Prayer begins, and so anticipates the coming of the Lord in the Eucharist who gives his body as our daily bread and his blood as our protection. This bodily self-gift in the form of food and drink that we share rescues us. In anticipation of this utter generosity of the divine gift we offer what we have, prayers of thanksgiving with simple offerings of bread and wine and our ministry of service to our neighbor in their need.

From this experience we learn that each of us is called to give of ourselves often in relationships that are not mutual and to give not because others have earned what we are capable of giving but because we have learned the ways of abundant mercy.

Prayer after Communion

Replenished by the food of spiritual nourishment,we humbly beseech you, O Lord,that, through our partaking in this mystery,you may teach us to judge wisely the things of earthand hold firm to the things of heaven.Through Christ our Lord.

COMMENTARY

We ask that the communion we have just shared teach us how to conduct ourselves in daily life.

The early Roman parish tradition assigned this prayer to the first of six Sundays of Advent, but by the time it was included in the seventh-century Papal sacramentary, Advent in Rome had been shortened to four Sundays.

The prayer begins by reflecting on the communion we have just shared. It is called both food and spiritual nourishment. To partake of the Eucharistic food and drink is to partake in the mystery of Christs body and blood, and we do so as a community, itself the body of Christ, the Church.

As we prepare to return to our daily lives, we pray that partaking in this mystery will instruct us in our daily conduct. The Eucharist teaches us that food, as a product of human labor, is intended to be shared, and that this eucharistic food is at one and the same time the gift of the divine self.

We learn to value the personal investment inherent in bread and wine and all products of human labor. We learn that offering these simple gifts to God is an expression of offering ourselves to God in response to the personal self-gift of God to us. Thus we partake in this mystery by sharing in this exchange of personal self-gift that is conducted in a community of shared goods.

The things of heaven include this partaking of communion essential to the Triune Unity of God. We partake of communion in the Church through our vocation, the specific way in which we give ourselves to God and neighbor.

Partaking in this exchange teaches us to perceive and judge wisely the genuine gift of ones self out of communion with others.

First Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 3

The days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will fulfill the promise
I made to the house of Israel and Judah.
In those days, in that time,
I will raise up for David a just shoot ;
he shall do what is right and just in the land.
In those days Judah shall be safe
and Jerusalem shall dwell secure;
this is what they shall call her:
“The LORD our justice.”

R. (1b) To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior,
and for you I wait all the day.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and teaches the humble his way.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.

Brothers and sisters:
May the Lord make you increase and abound in love
for one another and for all,
just as we have for you,
so as to strengthen your hearts,
to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.Finally, brothers and sisters,
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us
how you should conduct yourselves to please God
and as you are conducting yourselves
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

Jesus said to his disciples:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”

The Cissell family will be fundraising after 9:00 am mass on Sunday, December 9th. They will be selling raffle tickets for a Bavarian Madonna statue, prayer pillowcases and baked goods. All donations will go to the Santa Rosa Catholic Homeschool Co-op to support the children’s chorus classes.

The Bavarian Madonna statue stands 19” tall and will be raffled off on Monday, Dec 17th. Tickets are $5 each, or 5 for $20. Winner need not be present to win!

The prayer pillowcases are $15 each and make great stocking stuffers for young loved ones.

There will also be some homemade goodies that the Cissell children will be serving in the hope of small cash donations! Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated; every penny helps!

First Sunday of Advent

Collect

Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God,the resolve to run forth to meet your Christwith righteous deeds at his coming,so that, gathered at his right hand,they may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom.Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.

COMMENTARY

The increasing activity of the faithful comes to the fore in this translation, revealing the richness of the Latin prayer that dates to seventh-century Rome and Gaul.

The prayer begins with the gift of almighty God, but the way in which God gives is part of the gift. The Almighty elicits our cooperation in our own transformation.

At the beginning of the prayer we are described as Gods faithful. We affirm that we are praying.

Then the prayer offers a poetic reflection on our Christian lives. Our journey through life is described as running forth to meet Christ.

Along the way we accomplish righteous deeds by the grace of God. Even as we are on the way to this encounter, Christ is coming to meet us.Not only does this prayer describe our lifelong journey, but it also describes our journey this Sunday to come to the church building where Christ encounters us in his body the living Church, in the word proclaimed, in the ministers, and especially in the communion we share.

We are gathered at Christs right hand every time we journey to this encounter with Christ who comes to us not only in the liturgy but also in the least of our brothers and sisters. Our humble service of others in their need provides the righteous needs that accompany us to his coming. Then we process again, bringing our financial offerings so that with these the Church might continue its good works in society.

The Almighty elicits our cooperation in our own transformation so that by the gift of God we are deemed worthy to possess the heavenly kingdom. The Almighty elicits our cooperation in our own transformation so that by the gift of God we are deemed worthy to possess the heavenly kingdom.

Prayer over the Offerings

Accept, we pray, O Lord, these offerings we make,gathered from among your gifts to us,and may what you grant us to celebrate devoutly here below,gain for us the prize of eternal redemption.Through Christ our Lord.

COMMENTARY

Life with the Lord involves an ongoing, reciprocal exchange of gifts. This exchange occurs on two levels in this prayer, on the level of things given and of persons giving themselves.This prayer appears only once in the history of the liturgy, in a sixth century compilation of individual mass booklets developed in Rome, until the prayer was discovered and included in the 1970 Latin edition of the Roman Missal.

When the gifts of bread and wine and financial contributions are brought forward, the bread and wine are prepared and placed on the altar and this prayer is said over them.

The initial divine gift begins the exchange. The Lord gives life to all things and with human cultivation brings forth the grain and the grape from the earth. By the work of human labor we produce from the fruit of the earth the bread and wine offered at mass as well as food offered to the hungry in their need. The financial contributions offered may also be seen as human collaboration with the divine gifts, whether natural or human resources.

From these gifts that the Lord has given bounteously to us, we offer a portion in thanksgiving to share in communion and to share with our neighbor in their need. We ask the Lord to accept these gifts.

The second level of exchange occurs in this prayer when the Lord grants us to celebrate the liturgy devoutly and, by implication, to live life from the liturgy we celebrate. Our collaboration with God by responding to the divine gift is what gains for us eternal redemption. Rather than a simple reward given after death, eternal redemption in this prayer characterizes our way of living from the Eucharist we are given to celebrate.

Prayer after Communion

May these mysteries, O Lord,in which we have participated,profit us, we pray,for even now, as we walk amid passing things,you teach us by them to love the things of heavenand hold fast to what endures.Through Christ our Lord.

COMMENTARY

The prayer after communion looks back to offer a reflection on the communion we have just shared, and it looks forward to tell us how to conduct our daily lives in light of the Eucharist we have just celebrated.

This prayer was newly composed for the 1970 Latin edition of the Roman Missaland is based on two sixth-century Roman prayers that were subsequently lost to the liturgical tradition.

This prayer turns to the language of commercial exchange to indicate that in commerce with our Lord we derive the profit. Simple participation in the mysteries, however, does not bring about automatic profit. Participation needs personal reflection, which, accompanied with the ongoing gift of our Lord, is profitable to us.

As we prepare to return to our daily lives, our journey is described as a walk among passing things. Even passing things, however, are useful for divine instruction by which we learn to distinguish between the passing things and what endures. Once we have learned to distinguish between them, we learn to love the things of heaven and to hold fast to what endures.

The prayer does not say that we reject passing things nor does it describe things of this world in a negative light. Rather, the Eucharistic bread and wine we share, these are the enduring things of heaven, the body and blood of Christ. By sharing our daily bread in communion we learn as a community to value, hold fast and even to love the enduring things of heaven.

The communion we share informs our daily conduct as we learn to value even passing things as bearers of the enduring things of heaven.

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Lectionary: 689

After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree,
the LORD God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?”
He answered, “I heard you in the garden;
but I was afraid, because I was naked,
so I hid myself.”
Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked?
You have eaten, then,
from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!”
The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with meC
she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.”
The LORD God then asked the woman,
“Why did you do such a thing?”
The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.”Then the LORD God said to the serpent:
“Because you have done this, you shall be banned
from all the animals
and from all the wild creatures;
on your belly shall you crawl,
and dirt shall you eat
all the days of your life.
I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will strike at your head,
while you strike at his heel.”

The man called his wife Eve,
because she became the mother of all the living.

R. (1) Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.

Brothers and sisters:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace
that he granted us in the beloved.In him we were also chosen,
destined in accord with the purpose of the One
who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,
so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,
we who first hoped in Christ.

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Lectionary: 161

As the visions during the night continued, I saw
one like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
when he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
the one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.

R. (1a) The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed;
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.

Jesus Christ is the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father,
to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
Behold, he is coming amid the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
All the peoples of the earth will lament him.
Yes. Amen.”I am the Alpha and the Omega, ” says the Lord God,
“the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty.”

Pilate said to Jesus,
“Are you the King of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?”
Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?”
Jesus answered, “My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here.”
So Pilate said to him, “Then you are a king?”
Jesus answered, “You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 158

In those days, I Daniel,
heard this word of the Lord:
“At that time there shall arise
Michael, the great prince,
guardian of your people;
it shall be a time unsurpassed in distress
since nations began until that time.
At that time your people shall escape,
everyone who is found written in the book.”Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake;
some shall live forever,
others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.”But the wise shall shine brightly
like the splendor of the firmament,
and those who lead the many to justice
shall be like the stars forever.”

R. (1) You are my inheritance, O Lord!
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!

Brothers and sisters:
Every priest stands daily at his ministry,
offering frequently those same sacrifices
that can never take away sins.
But this one offered one sacrifice for sins,
and took his seat forever at the right hand of God;
now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool.
For by one offering
he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.Where there is forgiveness of these,
there is no longer offering for sin.

Jesus said to his disciples:
“In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.”And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.”Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.”But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
Damage from break in repaired.

Please join us for Coffee, Sweets and Savouries after 9:00 AM Mass

At this time of year, our coffee service is held in the back of the church, as the foyer is too cold. Fr. Luis asks that we not take beverages or food past the last 5 or 6 pews so that we preserve the sanctity of the altar. Our intention is to welcome visitors and encourage camaraderie among our parishioners. If you would like to bring a treat or help serve, you are certainly welcome to do so!

This week we will enjoy a Sicilian orange cake which is made with fresh oranges, including the peel, made into a paste and incorporated into the cake batter. It is decorated with silken Italian Meringue Buttercream and topped with candied orange peel.

Our savories include shrimp street tacos, cheese, onion, mushroom, tomato and egg on hash brown patty, and candied bacon. Fresh fruit and home made Danish pastries will also be served. More surprises will come as people bring their gifts!

Please join us and if you are new, introduce yourself and get to know some of our parishioners!

EWTN

Pick up “Winter Highlights” in the back of the church on the table with hymnals.

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 155

In those days, Elijah the prophet went to Zarephath.
As he arrived at the entrance of the city,
a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her,
“Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink.”
She left to get it, and he called out after her,
“Please bring along a bit of bread.”
She answered, “As the LORD, your God, lives,
I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar
and a little oil in my jug.
Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks,
to go in and prepare something for myself and my son;
when we have eaten it, we shall die.”
Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid.
Go and do as you propose.
But first make me a little cake and bring it to me.
Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
For the LORD, the God of Israel, says,
‘The jar of flour shall not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'”
She left and did as Elijah had said.
She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well;
the jar of flour did not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.

Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands,
a copy of the true one, but heaven itself,
that he might now appear before God on our behalf.
Not that he might offer himself repeatedly,
as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary
with blood that is not his own;
if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly
from the foundation of the world.
But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages
to take away sin by his sacrifice.
Just as it is appointed that human beings die once,
and after this the judgment, so also Christ,
offered once to take away the sins of many,
will appear a second time, not to take away sin
but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds,
“Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes
and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext
recite lengthy prayers.
They will receive a very severe condemnation.”He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
“Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood.”

Jesus sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
“Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood.”

In his homily and in his message in the bulletin, Fr. Luis emphasizes the importance of giving from the heart. In our materialistic culture, it is sometimes difficult to remember we have hearts at all, it seems like an endless list of financial demands and endless controversies. Somehow we must cut through the maze and find clarity and peace and genuine love in our hearts for others – and for ourselves. Thank you to all who contribute to our small parish churches.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH – OUTDOOR CHURCH WINTER PREP

We are so grateful to the volunteers who came out on Friday, despite the heavy smoke in the air from the Butte County fire, to assist in spreading chippings and picking up limbs to prepare the area for winter. Members of FROGS (Friends and Residents of Guerneville) joined us in the nippy 31 degree 9:00 AM chill. Mary Hammond from St. Catherine of Siena responded to the notice in the bulletin, and Ernie Loconsolo knew about from FROGS. Ernie lives on Armstrong Woods Road and is happy to see the property improved.

Masks were provided because of the heavy smoke conditions. Large piles of chips were distributed in the area at the back of the pews, and in the area with the new benches for mothers’ with young children.With use the chipping will flatten out and make a cleaner surface in the children’s play areaThe work session was curtailed early due to the poor air quality, but we enjoyed a nice brunch together before going home provided by Irene, Jeannine and Valerie.We enjoyed egg and sausages, skirt steak with peppers and onions on foccacia bread and roast beef; salmon on puff paste and two cakes! The newly donated espresso machine worked well. Thank you to East Wind Bakery in Santa Rosa, the original ownes, then via Doug’s sister Shari, from Studio J Hair Salon, the espresso machine came to St. Elizabeth. It works very well, producing adequate steam for lattes!

One of our most popular cakes – Blum’s Coffee Crunch Cake – a sweet memory for Bay Area people!

This is a wonderful sponge cake with layers of whipped cream and topped with a honeycomb coffee flavored candy which is wonderfully melted into the whipped cream. Our version yesterday featured a mid layer of chocolate mousse, but honestly I prefer the original version. Here is the recipe: https://www.sfchronicle.com/recipes/article/Recipe-Blum-s-Coffee-Crunch-Cake-12619995.php

31 degrees outside, Hannah warms herself over a vent!The coffee service has now moved inside the church due to the cold weather. Please do not be scandalized, as this is our only option. Fr. Luis asks that we do not bring food or beverages beyond the midpoint of the church, so as to preserve the sanctity of the altar. If you would like to contribute some goodies, please feel welcome to do so! Thank you to those who contribute to the donation jar – it helps defray costs.